After delivering one dominant performance after another during the NBA Cup Finals in Las Vegas, Giannis Antetokounmpo couldn’t help but compare the feel around the feel around these single-elimination games with his experiences during the EuroLeague Final Four, which he attended last season.
The Greek superstar, who ended up leading Milwaukee to their first-ever Cup trophy on Tuesday, recalled the atmosphere’s he’s witnessed outside of the United States, only to wish that someday the NBA could adopt the basketball passion that lives strongly in European countries.
“That was my first Final Four in Berlin this year. Obviously, the atmosphere there is a little bit different with the crowd of Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, Fenerbahce, and Real Madrid. It’s kind of different,” their player smiled while comparing both experiences.
Here’s a little peak of Giannis enjoying the EuroLeague’s atmosphere during Final-Four action in May:
Giannis Antetokounmpo x Scottie Pippen. 🔥
(via @EuroLeague)
pic.twitter.com/mQ6PDXvOiM
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 24, 2024
However, the Bucks forward believes the sport’s intensity is quite similar. “I wish we had that kind of atmosphere in the NBA, but we don’t,” he continued. “But the intensity within the game, I think, is pretty much the same. Everyone understands that it’s one game, and you have to play well. If you don’t, you get knocked out.”
In a way, the two-time league MVP is trying to say that due to the European knock-out style competition, there are more things at stake during each game. In NBA basketball, teams play the best-of-seven series, which is mostly an economic advantage, but in a wat can take away the competitive passion for each match.
“So, the intensity within the game from the teams, you see high-level basketball, teams are competing, the intensity is high,” Antetokounmpo shared after beating the Hawks this weekend. “In that aspect, it’s pretty much the same. The only thing that’s different, I believe, is the atmosphere. I wish the NBA could have that type of atmosphere here.”
One thing we know for sure is that The Greek Freak thrives during high-intensity matches, as the All-Star seems to live off of the emotion that bounces of the crowd. You can tell by just looking at his numbers in the past two single-elimination games against the Hawks and Thunder, earning a combined total of 58 points, 33 rebounds, 19 assists, 3 steals and 7 blocks.
